Lady Charlotte
by Countess of Cobert
Summary: Inspired by the quote of Robert's about having been to Brancaster castle when the Hexham's were 'unloading a niece' that he says in the CS. This is my version of what happened all those years ago when Robert met the said niece.
1. Chapter 1

AN: Lady Charlotte was influenced by a close friend of mine, and her name is in honour of her, so to Charlotte, thank you for being a wonderful friend.

Cora does appear on the character list but she doesn't actually appear until the last chapter, sorry to disappoint, but I thought I'd add her anyway. I hope you like this, and Charlotte. I must admit I rather fell in love with her and cried when I came to write the last chapter. Enjoy.

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><p>The castle was stunning, beautiful. Set in the untamed hills of Northumberland there was nowhere else Robert would rather spend the last couple of weeks before his arrival in London and his dreaded season. The word had hung in their house for the past few months, ever since his father's financial situation had been explained to him. His mother was constantly exclaiming to him to do this or to do that 'a woman doesn't like a man who slouches' or whatever her latest criticism of him was. His father kept much to himself only occasionally dropping hints as to the seriousness of the whole situation and then giving Robert tips on marriage and such like. Robert was fed up with it and relieved at the change of scenery however, he knew he wasn't far from trouble. He wasn't stupid enough not to realise that this trip was no coincidence. His mother had arranged it all with her dear friend Lady Hexham and it was common knowledge the Hexham's had their niece, Lady Charlotte, a very wealthy heiress, residing with them since her parents untimely death a few months before which had made her heiress of all; her fortune in short was massive. And it was her fortune that brought Robert and his parents into this part of the country. Robert was to secure her hand in marriage. His mother was so sure of the plan, Robert's grandmothers engagement ring sat in his breast pocket.<p>

As he entered the hall at Brancaster castle his mother stepped forward to greet her friend and his father greeted Lord Hexham. Behind their hosts stood a young man, who Robert knew to be Thomas Stanley and the most beautiful woman Robert had ever seen. Lady Charlotte, for it must be her, had honey blonde hair curled into the latest style balanced upon her head, she was petite but quite tall, with jade green eyes and two rosy cheeks. Robert stood still for a moment lost in her beauty but then quickly remembered himself and stepped forward to thank his hosts for their invitation. They then presented their niece and Lord Stanley, one day destined to be the Earl of Derby, to their guests explaining that the latter was a family friend who stayed with them on regular occasions. Robert knew this fact to be true as he'd known Thomas on and off for most of his life and the man had always been going to see the Hexham's, more often than he was going home usually. His mother obviously thought otherwise about his presence because as they ascended the stairs she whispered to him: 'You must remove the competition.'

After he'd washed off the journey and returned downstairs he was unsurprised to see Lady Charlotte waiting for him at the bottom of the first flight of steps, parasol in hand.

"Lord Downton, my-"

"Please do call me Mr Crawley or Robert, if you would like."

"Very well, Mr Crawley, Aunt wondered if you would like to take a tour of the house, or the surrounding countryside."

"And seeing as you have collected your parasol you wish to go outside?" She looks down and a small blush warms her cheeks.

"Aunt would not like it if she thought I had forced you into that decision."

"You have not Lady Charlotte, I assure you, I am very fond of the great outdoors. I take a daily walk when I am at home with or without the companionship of the family dog."

"You have a dog, that is wonderful. I had one when I was at home but then when I came here I left her with the very capable agent."

"And you miss her, or am I wrong?"

"You are not wrong, I miss her greatly, but I have company here. Thomas...I mean Lord Stanley, is the most excellent company." Robert doesn't miss the way she looks down, her eyes twinkle and an admirable blush covers her cheeks, before she reaches up to her collar and rubs her hand there as if she is too hot. Perhaps Mama was right, he muses, Thomas may be competition.

As they step outside the surrounding countryside enraptures Robert once more and he struggles to keep his attention on the delightful companion at his side while faced with the splendid views. Little does he know Lady Charlotte's mind is quite occupied, studying not only the gentleman beside her but the figure on horseback in the distance, who she knows form this far away is Lord Stanley. In her study of the figure in the distance she quite forgets where she is placing her feet and after tripping over nothing but her own feet she is grateful for Mr Crawley catching her before she hits the ground.

"Are you quite alright?" He was only just able to catch Lady Charlotte as she tripped and the hem of her dress is obviously quite muddied where she stepped on it. He's relieved when she laughs.

"Quite fine. Lord Stanley will tell you I fall over all the time, most of the time over nothing and frequently down the stairs. He teases that when I marry and am pregnant I shall have to move my bedroom downstairs so there is no chance of me tripping down, or up the stairs and harming the baby." Robert smiles at her, thinking she is joking but he quickly realises she is not and he begins to wonder how often Lord Stanley and Charlotte talk together, how well they really know each other. For a bachelor to tease a marriageable lady about being pregnant suggests a certain kind of freedom to their talk, a freedom that seldom exists between married couples let alone unrelated, unmarried friends of the opposite gender.

"Other than the countryside that you obviously share my passion for, what do you enjoy? Do you read? Hunt?"

"The latter naturally, for it takes part in the great outdoors. My uncle encourages me in it, but then he dotes on me at every turn. My aunt dislikes the thought of anything happening to me, but then that is largely due to her being convinced she will improve her social standing by marrying me off well." She chuckles to herself. "Therefore I spend much of my time alone or with Lord Stanley when he's here. Aunt and Uncle are very good and I do not wish to be the person they always argue over, so I try to do activities in balance to please them both."

"You are a very dutiful niece. I only hope my children will respect me so."

"I read also, but not the usual things that a lady of my standing usually reads. I like the classics and the ancient world. And enjoy reading Virgil and Homer."

"So, which hero do you prefer? Pious Aeneas or adventurous Odysseus?"

"Odysseus I think, I like the adventurous type who ride around and defeat all manor of obstacles before reaching their happiness."

"So, I suppose you wish me to ride and save you from terrible monsters, who in reality come in the form of men rather than other creatures, before you can decide if I am good enough for you or not?" She laughs openly at his statement much to Robert's pleasure.

"You know you sound quite like Lord Stanley in the things you say. But no, I don't wish you to go around saving me from men, I wish to save myself."

"An advocate for women's rights?"

"I've never thought of that before. No, not really. I'm just an independent person or at least I've learnt to be since my parents died and I'd rather rely on my own judgement than someone else's. After all, the majority of decisions you make affect mainly you, the big ones certainly do. Marriage for instance, I don't see the point in throwing people together in the hope of them deciding to marry, a woman should have a choice over the type of man she wishes to marry and why she wants to marry, as much as the man should." She looks up into Robert's face. "I'm not saying I turned you down the moment I knew my Aunt had chosen you, not at all. But I imagine you can sympathise with me over pushy relations who think it's their business, once they've told you that you have to marry, to then find you a suitable partner also, that part, in both our situations, should be our choice."

"I couldn't agree more."

"Why then, it seems if we shall be nothing else, we shall always be good friends." She holds out her hand to him in a gesture of friendship and he kisses her knuckles before tucking it into the crook of his arm."Will you hold my parasol a moment?" She doesn't wait for a moment before thrusting it at Robert and removing her arm from his. "Do excuse me." She sits on the ground and pulling her skirt to above her ankles begins unlacing her boot, Robert's watches in fascination, she really is very unpredictable. She takes the boot off, peers inside, shakes it upside down at which point the tiniest stone falls out before struggling it back onto her foot, relaxing it and standing. "All done." Robert smiles at her.

"Do you do that often?"

"What?"

"Take off your boot to remove tiny pieces of stone?"

"Yes, sometimes I dangle my feet in a stream near here and then I end up with stones in my shoe."

"And when you remove the stones do you often sit upon the ground."

"I do."

"So, you often come home with a small grass stain and pieces of foliage attached to your dress as you have now?"

"Mr Crawley, you naughty man, you've been looking at my bottom!" Robert turns beetroot at her accusation even if it is true, and turns away. "I'm teasing, yes I do often come home with parts of the countryside all over me. Aunt hates it."

"Well, for the record, I think it's rather adorable. But then I think you would always look quite adorable, to any man, all the time." She smiles a little at the compliment and turns to the sound of approaching horse's hoofs. Lord Stanley jumps down from his horse and Robert doesn't miss the grin that spreads over Lady Charlotte's face as she races into Lord Stanley's arms, like a sister would embrace a brother. Nor does Robert miss the fierce look of warning that Thomas gives him over Charlotte's shoulder, the look quite clearly says: 'Behave, she's mine.' It seems his mother was right, he did definitely have a competitor, and the worst kind, one who knew the Lady in question better than he did.


	2. Chapter 2

After his conversation with Lady Charlotte a few days earlier they'd walked out together a number of times but Lord Stanley always seemed to be with them. It was becoming more and more apparent to Robert that Thomas was besotted with Charlotte. He let her up on his horse a few times, going so far as to lift her up himself and just the general way he looked at her added to the comments that Charlotte had made about what the gentleman said to her made it quite clear to Robert that the man was in love with her. Whether she liked him, aside from the obvious brotherly affection she showed, was difficult to tell. Robert felt awkward when he was out with both of them, he always somehow managed to feel like the spare part however much Lady Charlotte tried to involve him in all their conversations.

It was with these feeling in mind that he turned down a walk with Lady Charlotte on the afternoon four days after his arrival. He set out on his own in the opposite direction to the one he had taken with Lady Charlotte and Thomas the last few days, not wishing to intrude upon their walk. However, his wish was not to be granted because it seemed the walk they'd been taking in Robert's presence was not their usual walk, therefore about half an hour after he'd commenced his walk he came across them.

He'd found the stream Lady Charlotte had talked of on their first walk together and was following its meandering channel when he heard a giggle. At fist he assumed it was some girl from somewhere nearby but then he heard a voice that was undoubtedly Lord Stanley's. Thinking that the man had perhaps left Lady Charlotte and ventured on his own walk to meet some local woman he turned away from where the voices were coming from, it was odd though, as far as he was concerned Thomas was attached to Charlotte, greatly so, which would mean he was being stupid risking such a lovely girl by having some relationship for his own pleasure. Besides, the man Robert had known a few years ago when they were both just eighteen was not a man obsessed by pleasure and women. He was just about to turn and venture back the way he'd come when Lady Charlotte's voice quite clearly broke through the trees. Robert froze knowing he was obscured by these trees.

"Thomas, don't be silly, of course I do not love him. How could I when I love you?" So, Robert sighed, the feeling was mutual. He made to turn away when he heard Charlotte's huff that he'd learnt to delight in over the last few days. "If only aunt would see sense. I don't not see why she wants me to marry one future Earl but will not let me marry you, you are to be an Earl too."

"Your aunt as we both know likes everything to go exactly as she plans." Robert knew he should move away and stop eavesdropping on a conversation that was most definitely a private one, but he couldn't. Somehow he wanted to help the two young people, he knew if it was him wishing to marry a woman he loved he would want to be allowed. Equally, he'd taken a liking to Charlotte and really did want her to be happy.

"I wonder what she'd say if she saw me like this now." Charlotte giggles to herself. "No doubt she'd do what she did last time and invite some other eligible bachelor to stay." So, Robert mused, he was a kind of punishment. His mind reeled the only explanation was that Lord and Lady Hexham knew of Charlotte's attachment to Thomas, the latter wished to separate them and was trying to use Robert to entice Charlotte away. No wonder she gets on so well with my mother, Robert chuckles, they're both as busy scheming as the other. Robert couldn't help wondering what Lord Hexham thought of Thomas as a potential candidate as Charlotte's husband. He'd noticed how the man barely got a word in, and when he did open his mouth to defend his niece over some remark his wife had made she always got there first. It seemed then, that perhaps he saw nothing wrong in the match.

"Well, I know what I say when I see your beautiful feet and ankles with no stockings on my dear."

"Oh yes, and what is it you say, my love?"

"You really are adorable. I don't suppose it would be at all possible to entice such a beautiful woman to kiss me?" By the amount of giggling Lady Charlotte was doing Robert deduced that this was a scene they played often, and no doubt it often ended with Thomas asking for a kiss. Robert turned away, not wishing to listen any more upon their conversation.

As he walked back to the house, he thought more about what he had heard, he hoped that one day he might find a woman whom not only he liked as much as Lady Charlotte but to whom he could talk and flirt with as Thomas flirted with her. It was apparent to anyone they were deeply in love and Robert hoped that one day he might have that. He knew it was extremely unlikely, he hardly had a pick of women, his future wife needed to be an heiress after all, and 'what,' he muttered 'is the chance of me falling for a woman that has the money too. Very small.' He sighed and kept walking, determined that when he married he'd know one thing, that Charlotte and Thomas were happily married. That way, in the long marriage that lay ahead of him, likely to be loveless, at least he could remark that love did exist, he'd seen it and that he'd had a a part in bringing them together. He was determined to do whatever he could.

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><p>Two days later when Robert had been staying exactly seven days, at dinner, he sat quietly beside Charlotte thinking over how he was going to get his plan to work. He knew that he had to corner Lord and Lady Hexham together and explain not only his situation but the reasons he thinks Charlotte should be allowed to marry where she chooses. He was still unconvinced as to which side of the battle ground Lord Hexham sat. He was usually very quiet and although he had an obvious partiality for his niece it was difficult to tell what he thought of either Robert or Thomas. This was largely due to the fact he was unaware Robert knew of the engagement although there obviously was one, at least in the minds of Charlotte and Thomas, and was therefore acting totally neutral. The other explanation was that he had no opinion, based largely on the fact his wife was the member of their marriage that had all the opinions. It was essential he cornered them both therefore as it was really Lady Hexham who needed to be given a piece of his mind about refusing her besotted niece the choice she had made, the man she had fallen in love with. Lady Hexham, however, was still convinced, because of Charlotte's beauty sh could 'catch someone better' as Charlotte had quoted her once.<p>

Robert, taking a moment to glance up from his food and catching a sharp look from his mother sits up a little straighter thinking she must be telling him not to slouch, to which she just rolls her eyes and mouths something. It takes him a moment to get that she's trying to tell him to talk to Charlotte. As he turns to her however Lady Hexham speaks.

"Charlotte dear, " her voice cuts across the table. 'Where were you today? You left poor Robert here all alone in the library all day. He was quite put out without your beautiful face to gaze upon, or so he told me." Robert was about to open his mouth to protest- he'd never said any such thing- when a cold, feminine hand touched his leg, Charlotte's.

"I was with Thomas aunt, we went to see poor Mrs Brown who is ill in the town. I told Robert I was going and he didn't wish to come." This was true, he thought it best if Thomas and Charlotte had a little more time to themselves as he'd been thrust upon Lady Charlotte the last couple of days giving no chance for the lovers to have some time, not that he'd told Charlotte this of course.

"Well, you should have come and told me and I would have accompanied you. I have told you, you're not to go further than the grounds with Thomas." Tears roll down Charlotte's cheeks and she makes to open her mouth to reply but closes it again and instead stands from the table and leaves. Thomas close at her heels.


	3. Chapter 3

Robert watched the distraught Charlotte and the man she loved leave the room. He watched as Lady Hexham threw dissatisfied glances at the door. He observed Lord Hexham keep his eyes fixed on his plate and his own two parents pretend nothing had happened. As he watched these things he made a resolution. Tomorrow. Tomorrow he was going to speak with Lord and Lady Hexham.

"Lord Hexham," the gentleman looked up into his kindly face, "I wondered if I might have an audience with yourself and Lady Hexham some time tomorrow."

"Why, of course." It was Lady Hexham's eager eyes that met his while Lord Hexham's became firmly fixed on his plate again. "Didn't I always tell you Richard dear that it would all come right in the end. Dear Charlotte shall me the Countess of Grantham one day."

"It depends what you look at as right Amelia." Robert kept his eyes fixed on his plate, not wanting either to meet his parents' gazes or those of either of his hosts. It was paramount he didn't portray the fact it was not asking for her hand that he was suggesting. The one thing he did worry about was her aunt telling Charlotte, no doubt it would send her into a fit of panic, he resolved that he had to either tell her or Thomas that he was not asking for her hand, not that he wanted to disclose what he was actually doing as he wanted it to be somewhat of a surprise to them both.

As expected after dinner, when only Thomas had returned, Charlotte he said was staying upstairs and was having a early night, Robert's worst fear come true, he'd hoped to just leave a note for Charlotte's maid but it seemed a confrontation was necessary. After Thomas had announced Charlotte was in bed and would not be returning, Lady Hexham had immediately exclaimed with a glint of joy in her eyes that 'Charlotte has to come back downstairs, Lord Downton has been kind enough to make her an offer and she should not be sulking.' The look of rage upon Thomas' face was great, so ignoring Lady Hexham's exuberant remarks about how happy Charlotte will be, Robert turned to Thomas.

"It's not what you think. Come with me into the library." He walks towards the door and is pleased when he can hear Thomas' footsteps behind him. The moment he's out the door he turns and blocks the fist heading for his stomach- lovesick men are so predictable. "Thomas, I'm serious. I know about you and Charlotte." The look of relief that washes over Thomas' face is enough to tell anyone he's calmed down. "Now will you come with me to the library." The pair trail into the library and lighting two candles they sit.

"How did you find out, I know Charlotte didn't tell you."

"I overheard you down by the stream. The plan is to talk some sense into Lord and Lady Hexham, the latter particularly. That's why I've asked for a meeting tomorrow. I won't explain what I heard, I will say I worked it out. Even if they question Charlotte we're safe as she didn't tell me, so she won't get into trouble."

"Why would you do this?"

"Because, I have lost the free choice to marry whom I liked. I don't want others in that position. I'm convinced I can win them around."

"I don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything. You weren't meant to find out that's what I'm going to talk to them about but I hardly wanted to be beaten to a pulp. The only thing I do ask is that you don't tell Charlotte. Surprise her." He nods and Robert leaves, his heart a little lighter in the hope of bringing good into someone's life.

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><p>The next morning as he waits patiently outside Lord Hexham's study his father passes by and gives him a concerned look.<p>

"Make sure you're doing the right thing son."

"It's alright Papa, I am. Although you best be prepared to comfort Mama I'm not sure she's going to like it." His father gives him a strange look and opens his mouth only for Lord Hexham to herald Robert into his office. As he enters the office he declines the invitation to sit and remains standing, facing the couple on the settee before him. One beaming the other looking worried.

"Before you begin Mr Crawley I think there's something you ought to know."

"Actually Lord Hexham. I think if you let me start this will be a lot easier. What you about to tell me is no doubt about your niece's attachment to Lord Stanley, which is the same issue as to which I've some to talk to you both about."

"You see, I told you Richard, it is putting other men off." Lady Hexham's squeal fills the room.

"If you please Lady Hexham. It is not 'putting me off' as you put it. I'm not here to ask for your niece's hand in marriage. I'm hear to plead with you to let her choose her own husband."

"She's has no right to 'choose her own husband' as you put it. Her parents are dead and they left her in my charge. Besides no woman chooses her own husband, I didn't."

"No, you didn't Lady Hexham, but excusing my impertinence, perhaps it would have been a nicer life for you if you'd been allowed to." Lady Hexham's face falls as she realises the truth of the words now ringing in her ears. "As a man, women think we have a choice of every one of their gender before we choose a wife but that is not true. No man is that fortunate, I'm certainly not. A few months ago Lady Hexham I was enjoying life, considering marriage and I knew I wanted to love and respect the person I married. About a month later my father told me I had to marry an heiress. This key fact greatly narrows the number of women to whom I can form an attachment and the chance of that attachment being based on love is almost nil. Don't, I beg you, let your niece be placed in the position I am, with forty, fifty maybe even sixty or seventy years ahead of her in a loveless marriage with almost no friendship. You know what it feels like and I'm sure if you really think about it you don't want it for her. She's made her choice, and of the observations I've made since I've been here I believe she will be very happy. That is the important thing in life after all, and coming from a man who knows its never likely to come to him I'd appreciate it if you let it come to Charlotte, she is a lovely, lovely girl and I'll sleep better for the next goodness knows how many years knowing that although I'm not necessarily happy she is and it was partly due to me." It was strange how the tears bundled in his eyes like clouds before they slipped silently down his cheeks. Lord Hexham sat staring at him, his wife at her lap.

"I don't think I can argue with that." Lady Hexham's tearful whisper can be heard clearly in the silent study. She stand daubs her eyes and leaves. 'I'll go and tell Charlotte."

"That was well said sir. I don't mind saying that you would have been a fine husband for Charlotte."

"And she a fine wife I think. She does you credit. But it was not to be, she is happy, that is the important thing."

"I pray that you will be happy to, you should be allowed to be after giving happiness to two other people."

"I'm not sure that's how the world works, I'm afraid. I pray that I'll be happy too. But I doubt any marriage I have will be like Charlotte's will be, her and Thomas are perfectly suited."

"You never know what the world might churn up. I've heard there's an heiress from America coming over for the season. She's supposedly a stunner, maybe you'll marry her. Her name was, now...it was...Miss, something American I can't remember and then her surname was...Leafson...no Leviton...Levinson. That was it, Miss Levinson, maybe she's your girl." Robert didn't like to destroy the man's hopes but he highly doubted it, what are the chances in such a big world finding someone to love and who loves you, people say it's destiny, but does that really exist?


	4. Chapter 4

He announces to his parents that afternoon that they're leaving the following morning. Patrick looks strangely at him and Violet gasps.

"Why? When you have just proposed to Charlotte. She can't have turned you down, Lord Hexham can't have said no."

"You are correct Mama, neither of them said no, because I never asked."

"What!? What are you saying? I bought you all this way for nothing." Robert then explains the whole situation to his shocked parents before returning to help his valet pack, it didn't surprise Robert that when he'd told his parents what had happened they'd both smiled, pleased no doubt that they have a son with a romantic notion. If only I could one day marry a woman whom I love he thinks. If only a woman as lovely as Charlotte exists somewhere, waiting for him. Waiting for him preferably at the season he's just about to attend.

He leaves the rest of the packing and heads back downstairs desperate for one last walk in the hills he has learned to love. The hills in which he wishes one day to bring the woman he loves whether she be his wife or not. As he walks and wanders over the verges and through the heather he hears the tinkling laugh that can only belong to Charlotte. She comes into view Thomas at her side, they are deep in conversation and do not notice him.

"Are you sure Thomas, are you sure Mr Crawley had a hand in this?"

"Quite sure." Looking up he sees the man in question. "In fact, here he is, you may ask him now, I'll meet you back at the house." Charlotte drops her parasol upon seeing Robert and he only just manages to open his arms in time to catch her, she peepers his face with kisses, each one accompanied with 'thank you.' Robert lets her continue, however strange it seems to have another mans fiancée wrapped around him. She eventually gets down, or rather falls down the moment her legs hit the earth again, Robert sets her on her feet again.

"I hope Thomas' house definitely has room for a bedroom downstairs, you're going to need it." She laughs and then her face turns serious.

"Thank you, you have no idea how much. Thomas tells me it was you who sorted it all with aunt?"

"Yes, yes it was."

"What did you say to persuade her?"

"Only that you are a wonderful woman that shouldn't be deprived of a wonderful love. Not if you've found one, which you have. You see, Charlotte, I have to marry an heiress, that narrows the number of women I have to choose to be my wife, meaning there will be a far, far smaller chance I will have a marriage like you will have. I wanted in my future life, that is likely to be loveless, at least from my wife, to be able to say that I do know that love exists in marriage and that I was the means of it coming about, it would make me sleep easier for the rest of my life knowing that you were happy." Charlotte stops walking, a tear sliding down her face.

"You can't be sure you'll never find love."

"No, but I can be sure that's it's mighty unlikely."

"I can't believe you did this for me, even with your explanation."

"You deserve it, everyone deserves a chance of love if it comes their way."

"You deserve it more than most, you know that Robert, for doing this for Thomas and I."

"That's exactly what your uncle said. But, I will say to you what I said to him, I don't think the world works like that."

"It should." There's a pause in the conversation as they walk a little further. "Uncle said something about some American heiress that is very pretty, perhaps you shall marry her."

"Perhaps I shall, I only hope that I may be able to learn to love her."

"Will you promise that you will write during the season and tell me what you do, who you decide to marry."

"If you wish me to."

"I do, very much so, Thomas will like to hear as well." They pad on in silence until Charlotte huffs again, and just like the first day he arrived, drops her possessions on to the ground before falling to it herself. Untying both boots this time in rapid succession followed by several mutterings. She then tips them both upside down and stones and other debris falls from them before she begins the long and slow job of retying them.

"You're staring again Mr Crawley. I suppose I have got a green bottom again."

"No, no, it's more brown this time from the mud." She spins on the spot.

"Oops, did I sit in mud, oh well, it'll come off no doubt."

"I believe I know how you get the stones in your shoes in the first place."

"You do?" She seems so confident that he doesn't know, that Robert can't help smiling gleefully to himself.

"Yes, when you go down to the stream and bathe your feet."

"I'd already told you that."

"Yes, I know. But, think about it. Stones couldn't get in them if you leave them upright by the stream."

"No, I don't suppose they can't. I always suppose they came from my feet, the transition from river to boot."

"But surely you put your stockings back on."

"Why, yes, I do."

"Exactly. So the stones must be being put in your shoes, by Thomas, when you're not looking." Her face lights up in excitement.

"He'll pay for that. I'll get him next time. Wait, how did you know he comes to the river with me, I never told you that."

"I heard the two of you a few days ago. It was how I learnt about your love, it was when I decided I was going to act in any way I could to help you."

"I'll never be able to thank you enough." They walk on again in comfortable silence. "Robert, stop a moment. I promise you right now, that you will experience love, genuine love in your life."

"Charlotte, we both know you can't promise such things."

"I can, because I'm going to give it to you."

"You're marrying Thomas, you can't-"

"Let me finish. I'm going to kiss you." Before he has a chance to say anything against such an action, how inappropriate when she is engaged to another and such like. Her soft, full lips have found his and as she slides her tongue along his lips he can't help but open his mouth to her and hold her to him. He knows it's wrong, but he can't help it. Her tongue swirls with his and he hears his own gasp of her name at the feeling it evokes. When she pulls away Robert doesn't hide the fact he's disappointed. "That, was a kiss of genuine love, it shows my gratitude to you, for all you've done. If you find a woman who kisses you with more passion than that. You've found your girl. Goodbye Robert, and keep me informed." With that she pounds off, her dirty bottom disappearing into the distance. Robert looks down. What are the chances, infinitesimal, he decides, of finding a woman as lovely as Charlotte.

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><p>As he sat in the library at Grantham house, a week or so later, Robert still thought of that kiss, he could still feel exactly what Charlotte's lips had felt like moulded to his. He turns the pages of the newspaper absentmindedly, he father is sat beside him drawing up a list of all the heiresses for the season and how much money they have and so on. His mother had give him lectures every other night over the said list, exclaiming about which woman was best and this that and the other. Robert paid little or no attention, so far no woman had captured his attention the way Charlotte had. Robert turned next to the society pages and before him where the pictures of all the debutantes from the previous day, he found Charlotte's picture beneath which was an announcement of her engagement. Robert sighed, ready to give up the paper entirely when the name below Charlotte's caught his attention: Miss Cora Levinson. And for the first time since seeing Charlotte, Robert was blown away by the beauty before him, and that was merely on a piece of paper, imagine in real life. The name Miss Cora Levinson died on his lips that night as he fell to sleep. Little did he know what the future would hold: the said Miss Cora Levinson as his wife laying in his arms as they each dreamt of the other.<p> 


	5. Chapter 5

AN: Sorry this chapter is late, fanfic being down yesterday rather interfered with my schedule! This is the last chapter, and I know a lot of you were expecting Robert and Cora's first meeting but I covered that in 'To Watch a Future Unfurl,' so this chapter is set in the CS of series 5 while they are at the castle. However, as the time gap is so big, there is a large amount of scope for me to write a new story at some time to fill the middle time!

On another note, this chapter got way out of hand somewhere in the middle. It was one of those chapters where you get to the end and you look back and can't work out how you ended up where you did. So, a lot of you won't agree with what is revealed in this chapter but in my mind I think, I think, it worked. But, your thoughts would be even more valued than usual, which is very valued anyway. Thanks for all the lovely reviews. I've got a few one shots lined up for the next few weeks, first will be up sometime on Wednesday.

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><p>As Robert entered the room Cora had been assigned for the duration of her stay at Brancaster castle Robert was unsurprised by the question she asked him before the door so much as closed.<p>

"Robert, who was the niece the Hexham's tried to 'unload' on you?" He shook his head slowly from side to side before walking up behind her and encircling her waist with his arms and pressing a kiss to the back of her neck.

"How about we get into bed, and then I will tell you the whole story?" She swivels reluctantly in his arms and does as he bade, he follows her and after she's wriggled a fair amount, she always does before settling down she lies comfortably and turns an expectant face towards him. He then relates the whole story of his dealing with Lady Charlotte and Cora stares wide eyed.

"Did you love her?" Comes her first question, no doubt Robert thinks, there will be plenty more.

"I think I thought I did at the time. But then, well, I met you."

"You remember the story in a vast deal of detail if you didn't love her."

"It was a pivotal moment in my life. The attachment to a marriage of love was something that was never going to die in my mind, for my whole life, I knew that. And I was convinced I would never have that love. As I told Charlotte at the time, I was therefore desperate to help someone who had it within their reach. Secondly, and more importantly since I've moved on in life, I've looked back on the time I spent here with a very fond memory. It was after all the first place I heard your name." Robert delights at the blush that spreads over Cora's face.

"Do you still share correspondence with her?"

"I did, for some time, for a very long time in fact. But then Thomas died in the same war I fought in and Charlotte's letters changed, she became, I realise now depressed. She died of pneumonia. As you almost did. Strange really, that the two women I loved, very differently, but with equal vigour for different reasons...I almost lost you both to that disease." The tears on his cheeks appear before he realises they've been building in his eyes. When he found out Charlotte had died it had hurt, very much, she was in many ways the first woman he had loved.

"Oh, darling, I'm so sorry. Why did you ever tell me this before?"

"I suppose I was worried you would think I had some extra marital relationship with her. But also, her letters became sad for me to read after Thomas' death and it was seldom that I wrote back. In hindsight I realise I should have done, maybe it would have helped her out of her gloom. I thought of inviting her here but than I thought our happy situation might hurt her." He watches as Cora nods slowly beside him but he has wondered ever since the news came to him of her death, about whether he should have enlightened Cora and invited Charlotte to stay, he had regretted not seeing her in those final months.

"Will you take me to the stream? Where Charlotte bathed her feet? We could take some flowers and leave them there and then bathe our own feet."

"I'd like that."

"It's a shame I never met her. I would have liked to meet the woman who kissed you in such a way that you remember it."

"Cora, trust me when I say your kisses give me far more pleasure. Hers just shocked me, I think that's why I remember it. And you have met her, a part of her. Rose."

"What!?"

"Rose is not Susan and Shrimpie's daughter. Just after Charlotte's death I received a letter from her lawyer. She'd had a baby while Thomas had been fighting, when she died the baby was not even one. She left Rose in my care for some reason, all her other children were sons and an Uncle of Thomas' took them but not Rose, maybe he refused, I don't know. Anyway, being as I was with three young daughters of my own and perhaps more children I asked Shrimpie if he would take the girl, his children being that much older, and he did. He adopted her, totally."

"Oh my, that would in some ways explain Susan's dislike."

"Yes, quite. No doubt she feels an Earl's daughter, for that is what she is, deserves better than what Rose gives herself. It's why I wanted you to take Rose when Shrimpie asked. Rose does know, but she is adamant that in her mind Shrimpie will always be her father and Susan her mother. It's all she can remember after all." Cora shakes her head form side to side in disbelief.

"Downton Abbey must be the house of the most secrets, I've never known a family with so many things hidden from some and known to others as the Crawley family." Robert can't help but laugh, Cora is right of course, you wouldn't be able to count the secrets on one hand there were so many! "We will take roses to the stream tomorrow, a symbol of her only daughter. I'm sure we can find some somewhere. We'll make an afternoon of it, picnic and all."

"Yes, and you never know, I might even put stones in your shoes!" He leans over and kisses her nose before capturing her lips with his. Charlotte had shown him what love could be like, given him hope and a wonderful 'niece'. Cora had given him her heart, her life and three wonderful daughters. But most importantly she'd given him a life he didn't think he was ever going to have. A life and marriage full of love.


End file.
